Expect Nothing.

The Wheel turns back to autumn; next week I run away from “civilization” to the top of a mountain. Twilight Covening is here again, and as ever, my existence is being turned on its ear.

When signing up for Twilight Covening, one chooses four clans in order of preference. This year, mine were Deer, Camel, Sow, and Lynx. I signed up early, bounced along with the friends who I will see there again, and started making packing lists.

I expected this:

Google/Wikimedia

And perhaps a little of this:

meditationuk.blogspot.com

Well, I got my assignment on Sunday, and true to form, that’s not what I’m getting. It’s more like this:

treehugger.com

With a big side order of this:

healthmaven.blogspot.com

A quiet meditation clan choice gave way to a clan of activity. Yoga is spiritual and contemplative, but it is so in the context of physical activity. Talk about a surprise! And with barely two weeks to prepare, I’ve had to completely rework my packing list and start picking up more fitness clothes to get me through a weekend that will be much more active than I expected. The fun thing about TC: One has to think in layers, so I’m looking at getting practically a new wardrobe.

I really should have seen it coming. Every time I get ahead of myself and start expecting things, the Universe goes, “Nope!” and does a 180 on me. I haven’t yet learned to expect nothing and prepare for everything.

Although this is lots of fun.

I am learning to take such surprises in stride, but my initial reaction was one of slightly terrified OH HOLY WOW WHAT HAVE I GOTTEN MYSELF INTO? (That seems to be a theme in my life.)

Where is my dear, quiet Sir in all of this? Laughing His head off, of course. He loves when curve balls come my direction, even if they aren’t of His making. It keeps me on my toes, keeps me Awake and jolts me out of my comfort zone.

The very nice thing about this, though, is that I won’t be alone. One of my old clan-mates is going to be in Camel with me, as will one of my best friends for the past decade. (Which reminds me – if you haven’t read her blog, GO READ IT. She’s on a completely different path from me and is totally awesome.) Yet another good friend is my carpool to and from the mountain, and it’s his first year going. It’s going to be a fun year at Twilight Covening.

But, as usual, PLOT TWIST!